Replacing dash lights

[jelmore]

I have a couple of lights out on my dash. Here's the panel:

6652

Opened up the dash panel to look behind and there's this bracket that looks like it holds everything in.

6653

Not sure what I should or should not be taking apart. I'm wondering if the panel can be open from the front. Anyone done this? It might be specific to a 2000 conversion. Don't know and thought someone here would. Thanks for any advice, including "don't".

[jelmore]

I have a couple of lights out on my dash.

I'm replying to my own post since this didn't make it to "new posts" this morning. Sort of a repost.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Can't help you Jim, your dash doesn't look anything like mine.

JIM

[truk4u]

Jim,

Maybe Paul can help you.

[johnbrowder]

I had a few lamps out when I bought my '01. Buddy Gregg replaced the entire assembly at their cost! It seemed like killing a fly with a sledgehammer to me, but they said it was the only option.

????

John B
Busless in Knoxville

[phorner]

Sorry, Jim.

Although I have the identical dash, I've never had the need (or the courage) to try to dismantle it.

Hope you make out OK....

[rickdesilva]

I think JDub replaced some dash lights.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Do a search. I think JDUB posted the ordeal on the forum. As I remember it was not fun.

Perhaps a simpler and more easily serviced answer would be to use a miner's helmet while driving at night.

[Jerry Winchester]

I in fact did change out some dash lights. However, the Marathon has an access panel right behind the instrument cluster to facilitate the change. But you will need the special Prevost light bulb remover widget to get them out.

And I in fact cheated the system and changed mine while we had the windshield out, so it was super easy. Even a Country Coach guy could do it. I mean caveman......

[jelmore]

Jerry, glad you had so much fun with yours. I should have been more specific . . . the lights that are out are some of the telltale lights. Prevost doesn't know how to change them. Troy at Liberty said they couldn't be changed because they are LEDs. Barring some faulty electrical connection, the entire module has to be replaced just like Buddy Gregg did for John B.

I've ordered a parts DVD from Prevost for the XL2 (that's the dash I have in an XL). Might need a wiring diagram for that area. I'll fool with it sometime.

[BenC]

The first year and a half of that dash's production didn't lend well to replacing bulbs. The driver information display backlight is the same way...not replaceable bulbs, just replace the assembly. Later to current models have changed and have replaceable bulbs for both, at least I believe this to be the case as well for the Warning Light Cluster. That was a "fun for the customer" learning curve for Prevost, and their trust that LED's are "life of the vehicle" lighting products. They are very susceptible to failure due to voltage transients Every notice how many cars on the road today have half the LED's in their LED tail light assembly out? Life of the vehicle....yeah, right lol.

[Jeff Bayley]

I know there was a posting that mentioned a supplier for small bulbs and I need some now. I tried searching several different ways but couldn't find it. In addition to get the referal to that supplier, might anyone have a list of the part numbers for the bulbs that you've keep track of in a parts list of your own.

I need the rocker switch lights which I think are OSRAM 12V 1.2w according the left over package from last time. Think I got these at the counter at Prevost so don't know if the discount supplier can cross reference but probably so. If someone has their part number then easier (for all the ones I'm listing here).

The bulbs for the push button switches which seem to be pretty universal on all the converters. 12volt I believe but with a number of 386

Alek gave me these three suppliers by email now before I finished the post:


http://www.easternlightbulbs.com/nav/itempage.asp?itemid=2578&trng=fgle

https://www.interlight.biz/light-bulb/386&ID=FROOGLE-US

http://www.bulbtown.com/386_MINIATURE_BULB_MIDGET_GROOVE_BASE_p/386.htm

I would like to get all the bulbs from one place if possible. Any suggestions as to which one is more likely to have them all ?

Below I've posted pictures of the bulbs to help but I'm hoping someone just has a document where they've got all the bulbs on the bus cataloged and can post that. One of the last pictures if of the drawer and cabinet latches.

I probably don't even need to put the pictures of the bulbs but there easy enough to post to help.

The first picture is the bulb for: Rocker Switch
The second picture is the bulb for: Drawer and Cabinet Latch
The third picture is the bulb for: Side Marker Lights
The fourth picture is the bulb for: Square colored push button switches
The fifth picture is the bulb for: Pulk light bulbs (Home Depot has but if I can order a dozen cheaper from one of the suppliers might as well)

I don't know the supplier for the latches. I'm going to Royal Phoenix in a couple of weeks so I'm sure they have those latches in stock.

[GSwaim]

Hey Jeff,

The grabber latches are made by Southco. Here is their website - http://www.southco.com/list/c3-grabber-catch-latches-7399.html?page=1&filters=

[Jeff Bayley]

Gary- Thanks for the link to the latches.

On a 94 Chassis and up, does anyone know if the side marker lights are 12 volt or 24 volt ? I'm getting mixed answers but the bulbs I have in my tool box I picked up once are 24 volt but they might still light up if the bus requires 12 volt. I couldn't find 12 volt on Bulbtown to match what I had, just 24 volt. But someone told me they changed them over to 12 volt by the time my years came along.

[Jeff Bayley]

I'm going to start keeping records of this stuff so I found the model numbers for the bulbs from bulbtown.com at least. Here they are for a 1997 and I'm fairly certain the bulbs are unchanged to date but not positive.

386 #386 MINIATURE BULB MIDGET GROOVE BASE 12 Quanity $0.95 $11.40 (These are for the square, colored, push button control panel lights)
2721 #2721 MINIATURE BULB SUB-MINIATURE WEDGE (W2x4.6d) BASE 15 Quanity $0.65 $9.75 (These are for the rocker switches)
1873 MINIATURE BULB BA9S BASE #1873 MINIATURE BULB BA9S BASE 12 Quanity $0.69 $8.28 (These are 24 volt bulbs for the side marker lights)

[Ray Davis]

Easiest way to tell is get yourself a Volt/Ohm meter, turn the lights on and put the leads across the two contacts for the light (center and outside). You'll know very quickly if they are 12 or 24 v. Good piece of equipment to have around the bus. You can pick them up cheap almost anywhere.

[Cal Krupa]

Does anyone know where or who sells rebuilt or repairs dash clusters for Prevost. I was quoted 3500+ for a new cluster. My unit in the 2001 Marathon is acting up. May have to replace it since everything else has been replaced in the back end. My turbo kicks out occasionally when the tach and speedo start jumping around. Yesterday I drove 150 miles before the turbo dropped out. After about 50 miles it kicked back in and stayed in. The technicians working on the coach think the dash cluster maybe at fault with some feedback messing up the turbo. I posted several months ago about the dash lights going dark. Now I am driving in the dark.

Any help or leads is appreciated.

Cal

[Gil_J]

Cal,

I have a tough time believing the dash gauges could affect the turbo boost. I suppose, but it's likely a stretch, that shorting some pin on the DDEC customer connector MIGHT cause a problem.

[Cal Krupa]

One other oddity is the check engine light will come on and may stay on until the coach is shut down. Restart the coach and the light may stay off for a long period of time. With the check engine light on, the turbo may stay on or cut out. Twice the turbo was out and the stop engine light came on for approx. 10 seconds and went out. When the stop engine light went out the turbo came back on. Any ideas here. BTW where is the DDEC customer connector you refer to?

My Detroit tech is at wits end since the problem comes and goes.

And the Rest of The Story is, driving on my trip this past week and the right front Michelin 365 steer tire had a blow out. Must have hit something on the road. Anyway didn't see it. During this incident the dash shook violently since the tire was gone and the coach was riding on the rim I had to bring it to a stop after a couple of hundred yards. The point of this story is the turbo never kicked out for 200 plus miles after this. That still leads me to believe it could be some gremlin in the dash cluster which is what the Detroit Tech tells me. Where can I find a rebuilt cluster or have this one repaired if it comes down to needing a rebuild?

Cal